ricco67 Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 Didn't they state that they might want to really look at the regulations regarding access for fire equipment at the rear of apartment complexes such as this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luminare Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 While I'm not superstitious either it would be nice if they were more sensitive to the cemetery. Maybe not so imposing on that side, and instead staggers back from that edge. Maybe makes that area immediately adjacent to it more like a park or plaza. ......or maybe the developer won't give a crap and just build the building overhanging over the tombs just in spite of it >.> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citykid09 Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 Maybe a bit farther back from the cemetery...I mean, I put no stock into superstitious nonsense like "the dead were angry about it, so they cursed the building to burn down" (and I'm sure there are in Houston that actually do believe that unironically), but c'mon...it was pretty close to that site. I don't believe in the superstitious stuff, but I would not want to live that close to a grave yard. They could have atleast put a tall fence inbetween their lot and the grave yard as well as put in a slim park behind the building for the residence to give some distance and just build taller. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollusk Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 Living next to a cemetery isn't really that big a deal. We did for a while when I was growing up. They are very quiet neighbors. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 I don't see what the problem is. If one is concerned about apartments or other buildings being near one's grave, one should not buy a plot near the property line of the cemetery. If one is concerned about living near a grave, one should not rent an apartment on that side of the building. If the cemetery is concerned with buildings being too near its graves, the cemetery should have a buffer zone. I cannot imagine any justification for imposing burdens on adjoining property owners. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purdueenginerd Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 I have no problem with them building next to a cemetery, or living next to one for that matter. 100% of the current human population will die at some point. Some of the older cities on the east coast or europe have 300 + year old cemeteries in the middle of their cities. Some of them have miles of catacombs underneath the cities. Dead people, can't complain about NIMBY. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timoric Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 (edited) - Edited July 8, 2019 by Timoric 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urbannizer Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 Today by me, the site is pretty much cleared of debris now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronTiger Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 (edited) Somebody questioned if the parking garage would still be safe for use afterward, since at certain temperatures even reinforced concrete would be compromised (and those apartments were an inferno). I even wondered if since the Axis website is still down if the developers took the insurance money and took off. Anyone know for sure? Edited June 22, 2014 by IronTiger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 The developers are just going to wait for a parking garage collapse once it's finished being built. No worries... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purdueenginerd Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 Fire damage to reinforced concrete is a serious concern(I see it all the time in Pipe-Racks and process units). It alters the chemistry of the material and it's material properties. I would imagine the GC, or Owner have hired a forensics firm to validate the structure. Core samples would be taken from exposed elements, and from that, very easy to discern the fire effected concrete. If it was bad, it'd have to be shored, partially demoed, and repaired. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronTiger Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 The developers are just going to wait for a parking garage collapse once it's finished being built. No worries... At which point a massive lawsuit would erupt that would make them wish that they just imploded it and rebuilt it from scratch. Fire damage to reinforced concrete is a serious concern(I see it all the time in Pipe-Racks and process units). It alters the chemistry of the material and it's material properties. I would imagine the GC, or Owner have hired a forensics firm to validate the structure. Core samples would be taken from exposed elements, and from that, very easy to discern the fire effected concrete. If it was bad, it'd have to be shored, partially demoed, and repaired. You're right, they are probably having it checked, seeing as how construction hasn't restarted yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 At which point a massive lawsuit would erupt that would make them wish that they just imploded it and rebuilt it from scratch. Naaaaah. Don't worry about it. I fully trust these Axis developers with my life. Plus, this gets me thinking, why Axis? Why not the Allies Apartments? They were doomed from the start! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoustonMidtown Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 Update regarding the rebuilding process... http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/blog/2014/08/developer-plans-to-rebuild-after-montrose.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollusk Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 I wouldn't be surprised if the insurance carrier(s) aren't too thrilled about having to take down the garage, which could lead to battling experts over just how strong the structure is at this point, and whether or not that is strong enough to do the job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronTiger Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 I'm curious if they'll redesign to have a bit more set-back from the graveyard (the thing the woman complained about, a day before the whole apartment complex burned to the ground... ) or rename it. The garage is another issue--I would say that because the reinforced concrete was compromised in the inferno, it's not as well rated as it used to be, so closing off the upper levels would probably be recommended and still be considered safe. I'm not sure how much redundancy was put in for parking spaces, though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston? Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 What is going to be built on the old soccer fields across the street from this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
htownproud Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 What is going to be built on the old soccer fields across the street from this?Nothing. The soccer fields are a tax dodge for a so-called religious entity that is holding the property to profit on its appreciation. A disgusting display of the ridiculous tax breaks this country gives to certain organizations. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toxtethogrady Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 As I understand it, JLB's awaiting the structural report on the garage before they move. If they're smart, they're going to have redesigned this complex with concrete firewalls and maybe even metal framing so it won't completely burn to the ground just because someone is sloppy at sweating pipes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronTiger Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 As I understand it, JLB's awaiting the structural report on the garage before they move. If they're smart, they're going to have redesigned this complex with concrete firewalls and maybe even metal framing so it won't completely burn to the ground just because someone is sloppy at sweating pipes.Do they know for certain? That's what I heard, but they're doing an arson investigation anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronTiger Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 (edited) The term "axis" isn't used in good context in American history and government, whether the Nazis, Mussolini, and Japan, or the Bush-era nuclear weapon suspects (North Korea, Iraq, Iran), which aren't exactly our friends, and with the old apartments totally gone (and marred with that big fire), it's a great time to rename. Edited August 7, 2014 by IronTiger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toxtethogrady Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 I suppose JLB could rename them the Axum Apartments. The Ethiopian community might appreciate it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luminare Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 I don't really think there is a need to over-engineer this building. The building burned down because of accident during construction from a project manager who should have been more responsible and called down his welders from the roof during very high winds. That's just irresponsible even if it's the welders fault I'm certain that whoever was running the show that day got the boot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronTiger Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 I don't really think there is a need to over-engineer this building. The building burned down because of accident during construction from a project manager who should have been more responsible and called down his welders from the roof during very high winds. That's just irresponsible even if it's the welders fault I'm certain that whoever was running the show that day got the boot. Well, if I recall correctly, the guy that got rescued was the foreman (or at least one of the guys above your basic worker), who, in what would turn out to be a monumentally ill decision, ran up with a fire extinguisher during his lunch break, unaware that the small fire had grown to a point where he could not return. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
august948 Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 I suppose JLB could rename them the Axum Apartments. The Ethiopian community might appreciate it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axum Or they could sell the naming rights to Unilever and call it the Axe Apartments... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toxtethogrady Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 I don't really think there is a need to over-engineer this building. The building burned down because of accident during construction from a project manager who should have been more responsible and called down his welders from the roof during very high winds. That's just irresponsible even if it's the welders fault I'm certain that whoever was running the show that day got the boot.One can blame it on a welding accident, but the fire should have been contained and should not have burned down the entire complex. Fire walls would have confined the blaze to one section, preserving the rest so that it didn't become a gigantic A&M Homecoming Bonfire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 That might have been possible, but considering the circumstances in which it burned, which happened on a very windy day, along with no doors and windows wide open, it was just v a matter of bad luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
august948 Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 One can blame it on a welding accident, but the fire should have been contained and should not have burned down the entire complex. Fire walls would have confined the blaze to one section, preserving the rest so that it didn't become a gigantic A&M Homecoming Bonfire. Are you implying that Aggie engineers are involved somehow? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollusk Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 One can blame it on a welding accident, but the fire should have been contained and should not have burned down the entire complex. Fire walls would have confined the blaze to one section, preserving the rest so that it didn't become a gigantic A&M Homecoming Bonfire. Ultimately there would be fire rated walls - it's just that with stick construction they come later in the project. The same thing happened a few years ago with the complex off the northwest corner of Memorial and Waugh/Yale; IIRC that one didn't have a garage in the middle to be potentially compromised, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toxtethogrady Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 Are you implying that Aggie engineers are involved somehow? Shh, if any of you Aggie engineers worked on this one, I won't tell. Actually, the A&M bonfire is the only one I'm familiar with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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